Hulu’s ‘Difficult People’ is highlight of the week
In a year-round TV universe, even the dog days of summer offer original programming, and this first week of August is particularly robust.
At least three new comedies debut, reviewed below in descending order of quality:
‘Difficult People’
Last year Fox’s “Mulaney” failed in its bid to be the next “Seinfeld,” but the funnier, more profane and raucous Hulu entry “Difficult People” has a better shot.
It’s largely a show about nothing but the exploits of ever-complaining, social mediapop culture-obsessed best friends Julie (Julie Klausner, who created and writes “Difficult People,” which is executiveproduced by Amy Poehler) and Billy (Billy Eichner, “Billy on the Street”).
Mr. Eichner is a scream on TruTV’s “Billy on the Street” and peppered into episodes of “Parks and Recreation,” but at first his screechy style is a lot to take on “Difficult People.” But Julie’s presence — she is just as prone to saying terrible things but in a softer voice — acts as a counterbalance.
In the pilot Julie even acknowledges her tendency to let her words get her in trouble: “I just like saying something crazy and leaving the room.”
Billy and Julie are not supposed to be likable. They’re both kind of awful, a la the “Seinfeld” gang,” but often screamingly funny in their inappropriate commentary, which is as apt to slam celebrities (R. Kelly, James Spader, David Byrne and Daniel Tosh all get namechecked in the first few episodes) as it is passers-by on the street or fellow audience members at a Broadway matinee of “Annie.”
“Which is a bigger turnoff, Judaica or veganism?” Billy, who is Jewish and gay, asks Julie, apropos of nothing.
Unrelated plots manage to intertwine — more shades of “Seinfeld” — and the world expands to include others, including Julie’s mother (Andrea Martin, “SCTV”) and prissy boyfriend (James Urbaniak, “American Splendor”) and Billy’s coffee shop co-workers.
Two episodes of the TVMA-rated “Difficult People” post Wednesday at 12:01 a.m., and after that one new episode posts each Wednesday through Sept. 16. The series will be available to Hulu subscribers (aka paying Hulu Plus subscribers) but will not be one of the free-towatch series at Hulu.com.
‘Significant Mother’
This CW comedy, which began as a Web series and then got promoted to prime time, appears to begin and end with a one-joke premise: How does neurotic young Portland, Ore., restaurateur Nate (Josh Zuckerman, “90210”) react when, while he’s out of town on a business trip, his well-muscled, often shirtless best friend Jimmy (Nathaniel Buzolic, “The Originals”) starts having sex with Nate’s mother, Lydia (Krista Allen, “What About Brian”)?
The predictable answer, of course, is that Nate freaks out and ultimately regrets his first words to Jimmy after arriving home to find Jimmy naked in his kitchen using a coffee mug to hide his privates: “Anything you put your penis in belongs to you.”
Most of the first episode, the only one The CW made available for review, is devoted to resolving Nate’s anger at Jimmy (and his mother) while also introducing Nate’s unrequited crush at work and Nate’s unfaithful father (Jonathan Silverman, “The Single Guy”), who wants to reunite with Lydia after learning she had sex with Jimmy during their trial separation.
“Significant Mother” (9:30 p.m. Monday, WPCW) benefits from amusing bits of dialogue here and there, but it’s largely predictable and fails to bring anything new to the sex comedy subgenre.
‘Mr. Robinson’
Debuting at 9 p.m. Wednesday on NBC, “Mr. Robinson” stars Craig Robinson, best known for his roles on “The Office” and in the movie “This Is the End.” Viewers who enjoyed those productions should steer clear of “Mr. Robinson,” a rote sitcom and an embarrassment for all concerned.
Mr. Robinson stars as an aspiring rock star who takes a job teaching music at his former high school to get closer to the woman he once stood up on prom night because he landed his first paying music gig.
Yes, it’s “School of Rock” meets the comic sensibilities of “Facts of Life” but much less entertaining. It’s so bad, a couple of times I wanted to hide my face behind a couch cushion to shield myself from seeing the performers embarrass themselves further with musty sitcom tropes and mostly awful jokes.
Weirdly the show is obsessed with racial humor, an odd choice in a time of racial tension. The school principal (Peri Gilpin, “Frasier”) refers to Robinson as “a Nubian prince,” Billy Dee [Williams] and more.
“If you think you’re gonna walk in here with your sweet African musk and get one over on me, you are subbing in the wrong school, Shaft,” she says.
Later, a white P. E. teacher tells an Indian colleague, who attempts to ask out the math teacher (who moonlights as a stripper), “No Bollywood ending for you, pal.”
Potentially offensive and definitely unfunny, “Mr. Robinson” may be the definitive summer burn-off series.
Also in August
“Playing House” debuts its second season at 10 p.m. Tuesday on USA; TV One introduces a scripted comedy, “Born Again Virgin” (10 p.m. Wednesday), about a blogger (Danielle Nicolet) who chronicles her return to celibacy following a string of bad dates; and ABC’s “Bachelor in Paradise” is back for a new season with a two-part premiere, 8 p.m. today and Monday.